God Is My Mirror; Jesus Is My Scale.
In Revelation, you are CHOSEN
In Zephaniah: WORTHY
In Psalms God calls you FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE
In Ephesians you are HIS MASTERPIECE
In 1 Corinthians you are HIS TEMPLE
In Galatians you are HIS CHILD
Oh! In Isaiah 62 God celebrates all that you are to Him. You are a CROWN OF SPLENDOR AND HIS DELIGHT.
In Songs: Yes, sister, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL...and God is not your earthly parent, calling you beautiful because He has to or in that “she has a good personality way.” You aren’t beautiful because of one feature. It’s not just your eyes. NO, sister, God calls you ALTOGETHER BEAUTIFUL. Inside and OUT.
And yes, all your flaws, your brokenness, the places you are weak, the deep inner parts where you hide your shame from the world, God KNOWS it all.
Yet, He LOVES.
In a deeply rooted relationship with God, every want and every desire is satisfied.
THROUGH Christ you were REDEEMED and made FREE. You are COMPLETE.
Never forget, no matter how the world and the enemy try to tear you down and tear you apart, you my beautiful sister have been ANOINTED as HIS ROYAL PRIESTHOOD; set apart to love His people as Christ loved you.
If this seems daunting, remember God does not call the perfect. He EQUIPS the broken, He EMPOWERS what is weak, and you are divinely PURPOSED. When life seems too much, remember you are VICTORIOUS through God’s sufficient grace and Christ’s unfathomable sacrificial love.
The moment you ask Jesus to be the Lord and ruler of your life….YOU ARE FORGIVEN...not because of who you are, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS. Not because of what you do, BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS DID.
Every time you fret about what you are worth—or, if you are worth anything at all—sister, KNOW THIS:
you are worth stepping down from a Heavenly throne, taking on flesh as a helpless babe, walking away from divine power so that every lash of the whip, every thorn, and the weight of every sin while gasping for His last breath nailed to the cross was felt.
YOU ARE WORTH THE INDIGNITY OF AN UNDESERVED DEATH at the hands of the people you came to rescue.
Loved, you wonder? Beyond measure. Beyond comprehension. Fully. Completely. Steadfastly. Sufficiently. You are the love of God’s life. He isn’t satisfied with you walking through life thinking “I’m fine.” He wants abundance for you. He doesn’t let you walk away, or hang up the phone in anger. He gives you His peace, a peace that surpasses all understanding. In the small wee hours of the night, in the midst of your struggle and hardest trial, God is waiting and wanting to give you His rest.
His LOVE relentlessly pursues you. And, He will never give up on you! Don’t believe me? Believe HIM:
“For God so loved the world (YOU) that He gave HIS ONE AND ONLY SON….”
John 3:16
I have a son. I can’t bear it when he breaks a bone. The thought of losing him. I won’t even complete the thought.
So my questions to you:
Do you live like you are LOVED the way that only JESUS loves?
Do you wake up each morning, and lay your head down each night, in the assurance of HIS victory?
Do you battle every circumstance, every feeling, every insecurity, trial and the chaos of each day relying on your strength or HIS?
Do you believe the strongholds of this world or do you run to His Word for the truth of who you are and who He made you to be for Him.
If you, more often than not, find yourself feeling:
tired
bitter
angry
jealous
impatient
self-righteous
prideful
Or, being unkind (in both thoughts, words, and actions)
Know that these feelings are not the fruit of the Spirit. They are the fruit of the world. They are the result of willful self reliance. I know because I spent 40 years chasing what the world had to offer by relying on my own abilities. My life, by any worldly standards, was truly blessed. Yet, I was never satisfied. I toiled, but I didn’t trust. I strived, but even my successes felt empty. I expectantly gave so I grew resentful. I lived a life impatiently simmering in my selfishness because I was blind to Christ’s selflessness.
I didn’t see myself through God’s eyes. I didn’t measure my worth through Christ’s love.
So, now two questions:
Have you asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life?
If you have, do you live like He is the Lord of your life through ignited faith?
The solution to living a life fully satisfied (in every area!) is simple: stop toiling. Start trusting. Give God dominion over your life. Matthew, Chapter 6, verse 33 is both the “how to” and its promise:
“But SEEK FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
SEEK HIM FIRST.
Each day that you are blessed to wake to, give it to God. Tell God the day is His. Ask Him what He will have you do. Does he have a word for you, a verse, or perhaps a task.
BE STILL.
PRAY.
READ HIS WORD.
PRAISE GOD for who He is.
LISTEN.
Surrender each day, every circumstance, the strongholds that lay claim to you, and every need to God. Then, “all the things” right! Well, maybe not the things of this world. Your circumstance may not change, but you will know God has become your only stronghold, your refuge and strength, your peace and your rest within it. When you live Matthew 6:33, trust Jesus and surrender your will to God’s, you experience the fruit of the Spirit no matter your circumstance:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, FORBEARANCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL…”
Galatians 5:22-23.
Matthew 6:33 is the surpassing worth of knowing CHRIST. Through Jesus you have EVERYTHING. Yes, “all the things” are found in knowing Christ and living for God. An abundant life is a life where the strongholds of the world (Galatians 5:19-21) are replaced by the truth of following the way of Jesus:
Anger/bitterness to LOVE
Despair/sorrow to JOY
Worry/anxiety to PEACE
Impatience/intolerance to FORBEARANCE
Hard-heartedness/rudeness to KINDNESS
Selfishness/sin-driven to GOODNESS
Unreliable/fear-driven to FAITHFULNESS
Pride/self-righteousness to GENTLENESS
Disobedient to SELF-CONTROL
An abundant life, overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit, and the fulfillment of the promise found in Matthew 6:33 is not dependent on you. Both the strongholds of this world and the Spirit of truth are at work within you. You get to decide which you strengthen. Your relationship with yourself and the things/opinions of this world? Or your relationship with God through the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ? God wants you to see yourself through His eyes. He wants you to weigh your every thought, word, and action through Christ’s example.
Sister, THROUGH CHRIST, know you have been given:
EVERYTHING.
IN CHRIST, know you are:
CHOSEN. WORTHY. KNOWN. FORGIVEN.
Know in every trial you will be:
EQUIPPED and EMPOWERED.
God wants a “fruit of the Spirit” filled life for you. So chose to drown in HIS sufficient grace and seek Him first in all things. Remember you are redeemed. Restored and anointed through Christ to do great things for the Kingdom of God. His power is made perfect in your every weakness. His peace surpasses all understanding. His strength makes all things possible.
Remember: through Christ:
YOU ARE HIS.
See yourself through God’s eyes.
Live your life by the standard of Christ and Christ alone.
Then, experience the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and be made COMPLETE in Christ.